Written: 18th June 2026
This isn’t your average gear review. In fact I don’t really do gear reviews. It’s more of an honest account of my experience working with the Cimalp brand over the past 1 year and 9 months. Yes, it has taken me THAT long to get this done!
The aim of this blog post is simple: to introduce you to the Cimalp brand, share what I’ve discovered about it, and give my honest thoughts on a selection of products I’ve used extensively in all weathers and on a variety of terrain as a professional walk guide and Nordic walking instructor.
In case you aren’t familiar with Cimalp, let me tell you what I have come to learn about them…
Cimalp is a brand of outdoor clothing and equipment, based in France. The brand has been around since 1964 and has over 114k followers on social media. They pride themselves on being innovative: designing their own fabrics and creating their own technologies. Everything they create is based around one simple philosophy: “good gear should never make itself noticed — it should make itself forgotten”.
Cimalp also have strong ethical principles when it comes to the environmental impact of the outdoor industry, designing “equipment built to last and designed to be repaired”. In 2025, Cimalp went as far as to introduce a dedicated in-house repair team who work to fulfil the company’s offer of a lifetime of free repairs on all of their products! I absolutely love this quote from the Cimalp website, “The more time we spend outdoors, the more we understand the need to protect what surrounds us.” Never a truer word written.
I was put in contact with Cimalp via another partner – Visorando (I seem to have a thing for partnering with French brands!). I learned that Cimalp were keen to expand their online sales to the UK and since I had never tried the brand before, they suggested sending me some items to try as a first step, to make sure I liked their product before agreeing to anything else. On my first call with Cimalp I got a sense of how much pride they take in their product, and I learned about the lengths they have gone to to produce functional, high performing gear – including developing their very own waterproof membrane. I was keen to learn more!
What I Ordered
I was basically given freedom of choice from the entire range on the Cimalp website. It was soooo difficult to choose because I was like a kid in a candy store! I shortlisted the 7 items below and sent it over to them, with a note that anything from that list would be awesome. They sent me it all! Lucky duck.
It is worth noting that the size guides on the Cimalp website are fantastic. Obviously that is super important when you are ordering online and are unable to try things on. If all website size guides were this accurate and this detailed, we would rarely need to send anything back. Here’s what I ordered:
- Shoes X-HIKING Women’s – colour Black size 6.5
- Polarized Sunglasses GO2 ALMET – colour Green
- Outdoor Trousers QUEBEC 2 Women’s – colour Black, standard leg length
- Rainproof Jacket GUIDE PRO Women’s – colour Noir-Gris size XS
- Thermal & windproof jacket CHANI – colour Black size XS
- Warm Hooded Down Jacket MORZINE Women’s – colour Black size XS
- Long Sleeve Merino Wool T-shirt ASPRES – colour Raspberry colour size XS
The Unboxing
It was like Christmas had come early…. 19th September 2024
So now let’s take a look at my first impressions of each item and then what my experience has been of using them over the past year and 9 months…
Shoes X-HIKING
First Impressions:
They looked better than expected! I wasn’t sure what I thought of the style of them when I saw the photos online, but I was pleasantly surprised when they arrived. Sleek, robust, and I really liked the pink soles! They also came with two different insoles which was a first for me, and each with a motivational message on them! One suggested added comfort and the other breathability.
Now the big moment – time to try them on…. eek. Would they fit?? I have been anything from a UK 6 to a UK7.5 in the past depending on the brand of shoe, so I wasn’t that confident in how this was going to go, considering it was EU sizing. The Cimalp website had said that they run a bit small and recommended sizing up, so I went for the 6.5. Imagine my relief and joy when they slid on like slippers!
Performance over the past 21 months:
So, I’m extremely picky when it comes to walking shoes. I wear them a lot, probably more than I wear any of my other shoes! I need them to be waterproof, and I need them to be grippy, and I need them to be comfortable.
I think we all have a story about that perfect pair we once had that eventually needed the bin and how we’ve tried loads of shoes since then with none of them quite cutting it …. I’m no different. Mine were a pair of trusty brown leather boots and I was devastated to have to part with them. I didn’t appreciate quite how good they were until I started trying other types (my beloveds had been discontinued so no option to re-buy).
I tried the new-fangled fabric type…. but I never found a pair that were waterproof enough for my liking, nor did they last very long before starting to wear and tear.
I had problems with the soles on many a pair of shoes… why did they not grip on wet rocks and stones like my old pair had?? A major part of my work is guiding groups on the Ayrshire Coastal Path, so it goes without saying that I am frequently walking on wet sand, rocks and pebbles. This lack of grip was quite debilitating: I never realised how much confidence my old trusty boots had been giving me.
So now when shopping for new hiking hoes, the sole type is of major importance to me. I go to a lot of effort to find shoes which specifically state that they are grippy on wet rocks. Many hiking shoes and boots boast Vibram soles – kind of industry standard and a mark of quality. But if I thought I was safe buying any shoe with a Vibram sole on it, I was wrong – it turns out that there are different types of Vibram soles! Some which are grippy on surfaces like grass, and others which are better on wet rocks. In fact, I learned that my old trusty brown leather boots did not have Vibram soles at all, but a sole designed by the shoe brand themselves.
I tell you all of this because the Cimalp shoes I had ordered came with Vibram soles…. so considering my experiences I was naturally quite nervous about how well they would perform when faced with their first outing on the Ayrshire coast. In all honesty I wasn’t expecting them to be any different to any other Vibram soled shoe I had tried over the past 10 years; in other words I fully expected to be slipping and sliding.
But no, I was not slipping and sliding! Quite the opposite in fact. I would go as far as to say that these are the grippiest shoes I’ve had the pleasure of wearing in a long time. It felt soooo good to have that confidence back – to be hopping from wet stone to wet stone just like I used to do with my trusty brown leathers. My prayers had been answered. Thank you Cimalp!
I’ve never had a problem with water leakage and the whole shoe has taken a great amount of wear whilst still looking fresh. It is only recently – after almost 2 years of wearing them 3-4 times a week that they have started to show signs of deterioration. The pink sole is beginning to come away from the shoe at the sides (but remains well-attached at the toe) – I think I could have this re-glued and they would have plenty of life left in them yet. The tread on the soles is starting to wear down but again, still performing well. The first thing to go was the fabric on the inner cushioning which protects my heel when walking, which is showing signs of wear. The upper still looks fantastic (when I clean them!), with no rips or scratches to the fabric.
I liked these shoes so much that I would continue to re-order the same pair as long as Cimalp keep making them! I note that they aren’t available any more with the pink soles (a shame as I got lots of nice comments about those!). At the time of writing they are available in all black, or light blue. Since everything else I own is black, I will stick to that!
Polarized Sunglasses – GO2 ALMET
First Impressions:
So I had actually had my eye on these sunglasses for a while now! A French business associate – actually the one who had put me in touch with Cimalp – had this exact pair, and I always admired her sunglasses any time I saw her wearing them. I especially loved the wooden-look legs on the sides, which coupled with the olive green frames just had a really modern and sporty look about them.
They came in a hard shell fabric case with padding and a zip which I thought would be ideal for popping in the top of my rucksack to stop them getting scratched.
The polarised lenses were new for me so I was looking forward to trying them out.
I did note that the lenses felt a bit flimsy and I worried that they might pop out the frames or easily get damaged. They didn’t feel like glass or a hard plastic, more like a very thin flexible plastic.
Performance over the past 21 months:
I loved wearing these and the style of them! I got loooooooads of compliments from people about them, asking me where I got them from. They are quite unique in their style, in particular the wooden-look legs. They were also very comfortable, lightweight and stayed in place thanks to rubber pads on the end of each leg.
Sadly I had to stop wearing them because the polarised lense on one side got damaged. I’m not too sure how it happened, but one day I went to wear them and noticed that the lense looked scratched. When I rubbed it to check how deep the scratch was, the coating started to flake off. This impacted on how well I could see through them and so I had to bid them a fond fairwell. This could have been caused by user error as opposed to a design issue – possibly something in my pocket scratched the lense (should have used the case!) or suncream or similar on my hand maybe interfered with the coating on the lense. Not sure!
Would it put me off buying Cimalp sunglasses in the future? Hmmm maybe… I would be reassured if the lenses weren’t so flimsy, and it is possible that they have made improvements to this in the meantime. I still give them 10/10 for style!
Outdoor Trousers QUEBEC 2
First Impressions:
Exceptional quality. Thick spongy stretchy fabric which would be perfect for the colder months. Fleece-lined too. I liked that the Cimalp logo is embroidered on to the fabric. All-in-all these trousers had a really nice high-end look and feel to them.
Performance over the past 21 months:
I only wore these a few times, because I found the leg length to be a teeny bit too short for me. I tend to find buying new walking trousers quite a challenge as I can never seem to get a good fit ordering online – leg length in particular can be an issue as I’m somewhere between a standard and a long leg depending on the brand. I usually prefer to go to a shop and try them on if I can. Because I had gone for the standard leg length in this case, although it looks from the photo to be ok, it meant that the seams around where the knee is supposed to be on the inside leg of the trouser, were ever so slightly in the wrong place for me and therefore caused some discomfort.
On the other hand, the waist size turned out to be perfect. I had even measured my waist size and matched it up to the Cimalp online size chart, and when they arrived they fitted really nicely. The waist isn’t adjustable per se: there is a button, a zip and a metal clip. However the entire fabric of the trouser including the waist is super stretchy.
The pockets were in a good position and I liked that they zipped closed. The ankle cuffs can also be adjusted using a drawstring cord. I loved how the trousers looked on me and that they were water-repellent. I could tell that they were a really high quality trouser.
I would definitely order Cimalp trousers again in the future and confidently use the online sizing guide. Next time I’ll go for long leg if available!
Shop Cimalp Outdoor trousers QUEBEC 2
Rainproof Jacket GUIDE PRO
First Impressions:
Wow this looked like a fantastic jacket from the offset! A nice heavy-duty waterproof for the winter. Durable, high quality fabric which makes a nice crunchy noise when you squish it 😉
Loved that the pockets were on the chest rather than at belly-height, meaning the waist strap on my rucksack wouldn’t get in the way of them, like it does with all my other jackets.
All the zippers looked to be completely watertight. Nice underarm ventilation in the form of long zips at both sides.
The hood looked nice and big: there’s nothing worse than a jacket with a tiny wee hood. It’s important to me to be able to get the hood up over my winter woolly hat, and this one would definitely do that. The toggles to adjust the hood were neatly housed and were easy to use.
The wrist cuffs had really good quality velcro fasteners, not the type that start to fray after a few opens and closes.
Trying it on, the jacket had a nice fitted, feminine feel to it.
Performance over the past 21 months:
Absolutely 10/10, cannot fault this jacket at all. I love everything about it. It is extremely waterproof, windproof and breathable – tick, tick, tick. All these months later and heavy wear and it still looks like (and performs) like new. The only problem is that I have put on some weight around my middle and so the lovely fitted feminine feel is now…. snug. 100% my problem though, not the jacket’s 😀
Shop Cimalp Rainproof Jacket GUIDE PRO
Thermal Windproof Jacket CHANI
When I ordered this it was called a Nordic Walking Jacket, which appealed to me as a Nordic Walking Instructor and I had to have it! I notice they have changed the name to ‘Thermal Windproof Jacket’ and to be honest that is a very accurate description!
First Impressions:
A nice strethcy soft-shell fabric with a fleece lining. Good sized hood for a mid layer item of clothing. Putting my hand inside the pockets I could feel a toggle which stumped me for a minute. Turned out to be part of the mechanism for adjusting the waistband size. I wondered if that might annoy me when I had my hands in my pockets…? This jacket was going to be perfect for layering with the Rainproof Jacket GUIDE PRO.
Performance over the past 21 months:
One of my favourite mid layers and probably the best quality one I own. It has been washed many many times over the past year and a half and still looks like new.
Really comfortable with high quality finishes. In my experience it really does keep the wind off you and keeps you warm even with just a t-shirt underneath.
As for the pockets…. the toggles inside do annoy me a little, mostly because I “footer around” with them (fidget) and I find the pockets ever so slightly small for fitting my Google 10 Pro XL inside.
I have found the sleeve length to be a touch on the short side for me. They do come right down to my hand, but the sleeves have thumb holes which I have been unable to use which is a shame. Arm length is often something I have an issue with in jackets and long sleeved tops so maybe it is another ‘me’ problem.
This would not stop me from ordering more of these jackets in different colours. The almond green one is particularly nice!
Shop Cimalp Thermal Windproof Jacket CHANI
Warm Hooded Down Jacket MORZINE
(Made from corn fibres and recycled polyester — an alternative to animal down, with no compromise on thermal performance)
First Impressions:
It’s sooooo thick! Very puffy and padded and snuggly. I couldn’t wait to try it out on a cold day! This felt like a proper warm winter puffer jacket and one of the best things ever was putting my hands in the pockets and feeling that extra bit of down padding towards the outside of the hand which was guaranteed to keep them roasty toasty! Despite being so puffy, the jacket actually compressed right down into its small drawstring bag.
Performance over the past 21 months:
This really is a warm jacket and I love how cosy it feels. I have often been too warm in it when wearing it during springtime and autumn. This is a positive: it demonstrates how fantastic it is for winter weather!
The pockets have indeed kept my hands roasty toasty throughout the winter: as you can see from the photos below, I often wear fingerless gloves when using this jacket. The cuffs are elasticated with soft fabric which hugs the wrists and keeps the cold out.
There’s plenty of space inside the jacket to allow for layering, although I probably could have been smarter and ordered the size up as it can sometimes feel a bit too snug around the forearms depending on what I wear underneath. That’s what I get for ordering XS though.
My only criticism is that I find the hood to be on the small side. I don’t have a very big head (I usually need to wear Junior size caps) and even on me the hood doesn’t quite make it past my hairline. Again, possibly if I had ordered the size up this may not have been an issue.
I own quite a few different puffer jackets from a variety of brands and this one is hands down my favourite in terms of quality, warmth and coziness.
Shop Cimalp Warm Hooded Down Jacket MORZINE
Long Sleeve Merino Wool T-shirt ASPRES
First Impressions:
I absolutely loved the berry colour. I think I was lucky to get that colour as it was showing low stock when I ordered and is no longer one of the options. Lots of other nice colours to choose from though.
It felt really lightweight and soft to touch. I remember when I ordered this looking at the price and wondering how on earth a t-shirt could be worth so much money (£84 at the time of writing). This was now the most valuable t-shirt in my drawer! The only merino wool products I had owned before this point were hiking socks, and to be fair, they were very good socks! I was looking forward to wearing this t-shirt to get a sense of what made it so special.
Performance over the past 21 months:
So it turns out that one should not judge a book by its cover, because this t-shirt has many hidden qualities! Let’s look at some of the claims made on the Cimalp website:
“A base layer that stays comfortable and fresh” – agreed. It is very comfortable. Partly because of the material, and partly because it is a nice baggy fit so air can circulate around it. It is designed as a base layer and I often wear it as such, but as you can see from the photos below, I also wear it alone when outside temperatures permit. And it never smells bad! Which cannot be said of other t-shirts I own…. :-/ It is a t-shirt designed to stay fresh even on multi-day hikes. I haven’t gone that far with my testing…. yet.
“Pairs easily under a fleece or a windproof jacket” – agreed. It is very lightweight which makes it super easy to throw other layers over the top if you start to feel chilly. I wear this top in ALL seasons, paired with a variety of different layer combos.
“Its construction moves with you without creating friction points” – agreed. The t-shirt has minimal seams, and I’ve never felt any sort of rubbing from my backpack.
“Zero itching” – agreed. Not itchy at all! I have other base layers which I cannot stand wearing due to the itch. I have no idea why I keep a hold of them.
“Long sleeves” – indeed. For me, I could do with them being a teeny bit longer, but we have already talked about my freakishly long arms further up the blog! The cuff at the end of the sleeves has a really nice soft finish which hugs the sleeve to your arm and prevents the sleeve from riding up when you add other layers.
“Quick drying” – agreed. I’ve worn this on warmer days when I wanted to protect my arms from the sun. On such occasions, naturally, I will be sweating. We all know that horrible feeling when you need to put your rucksack back on after stopping for a rest, and the relief you felt taking it off is replaced by disgust as your cold, damp, clammy t-shirt makes contact with your cold, damp, clammy rucksack. Eugh! Well, I do not experience that disgust when wearing this t-shirt! It really does dry super quickly.
Anything I didn’t like? Hmmm… I wasn’t convinced by the wide neckline, but I’m getting used to it!
So there is a lot going on with this simple-looking t-shirt. It’s a true technical piece of kit. I’d say it’s worth its weight in gold, but that wouldn’t do it justice!
Shop Cimalp Long Sleeve Merino Wool T-shirt ASPRES
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